Unwanted
by zuko4ever1477
Summary: Katara is the Avatar's Lady now- but Shoshi isn't the Avatar's son. He is on a quest to find his real father and himself- and do to it, he'll need to meet with some family friends. Shipping: Zutara, Tokka, various OC
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Katara's breathing was slowing now. "Is it a boy or a girl?" She whispered.

"Boy," Aang said breathlessly, wonder in his voice.

Her eyelids fluttered, and for the first time she gazed down at her baby boy.

The Avatar watched her, pride written on his face. The child had hair darker than Katara's, jet black in fact, similar to his own. The boy's skin is lighter than Katara's, but not quite as pale as his own. As Aang continued his inspection, the baby reached out to touch Katara's palm with his own. She looked to him, blue eyes shining.

_Let our son have those blue eyes... _The Airbender put up a silent plea to the spirits. "Oh, Katara, he's absolutely-" Aang froze. The child had opened his eyes.

They were gold.


	2. Naming

"His name will be Shoshi." The Avatar stared with disgust at "his" child. A wide-eyed amber gaze replied.

_Shoshi... Unwanted one.... _"Aang, no! You're making a mista-"

"No, Katara. _You_ made a mistake." He spoke bitterly, looking away from his wife.

"Aang, this isn't the way you think- it happened before we even-"

"KATARA! GO!" The Airbender suddenly roared. Then he was deadly quiet. "You will take that _thing_ with you."

The Waterbender took her son in her arms and left the room with tears welling. "Yuki, come!" She commanded, voice breaking. The young lady-in-waiting followed wordlessly.

Once safely in her room, Katara turned to the girl before her. Yuki, though young, had snow white hair. She reminded the Waterbender of Yue, and had the same compassionate, trustworthy personality. "Yuki, what do you-"

"If I may be so bold, Lady Katara... The word 'shoshi' has more than one meaning..." The girl whispered.

A small smile tugged at the Waterbender's lips as she watched her son wriggling in her arms. "Thank you, Yuki." Then she looked into those amber eyes so like his father's. "I think Shoshi will be a _fine_ name for you..."


	3. Candles

**I don't own A:TLA, stop rubbing it in my face okay?!**

Shoshi was sitting on the marble floor, tracing patterns in it with the curiosity all five year olds seemed to share. Aang was glaring at the boy with undisguised contempt. "Haha, why is Oto so angry all the time?" There was that curiosity again.

Katara smiled sadly. "Your father just has a lot on his mind, Shoshi. He just wants what's best for all of us." _Oh Shoshi... if only you knew..._

"Oh. You are doing super good, Oto!" The child cheered. Aang's hateful gaze never faltered. "Do not be so sad! You are going to win! I will help you beat the bad guys!" His hands balled into little fists and he punched the air, which had suddenly become whatever enemy the Avatar happened to be fighting. "Look! We are winning!" The energetic toddler tripped over his feet and plopped down, exhausted.

Still the Avatar glared. "That was very good, Shoshi." Katara praised him. "Maybe you'll help your father when you're big and strong!"

_How can she _say_ that?!_ Aang thought angrily. _"Your father"... "maybe you'll help your father"... _"I have work to do." He spoke tersely. "Please go, Shoshi. Katara."

"Okay Oto!" Shoshi beamed. Katara got up and followed his waddling gait.

Aang just scowled.

--

Over the years, Shoshi had shown an increasing interest in fire. Katara had kept him away from everything- lanterns, matches, whatever he could manipulate, learn from. If he inherited his father's bending.... Well, there were certain things even the most trusting people couldn't pass off as a genetic fluke.

"Pleeeeeeease Haha?" Even now, at age nine, Shoshi still used his old nickname for his mother. "Five more minutes?!" He clutched the battered book in his hands pleadingly. _The Adventures of the Blue Spirit. _The things that had come of their adventures all those years ago....

"No, Shoshi. You can read in the morning." She smiled regretfully at her son. He nodded, accepting the fact, then pushed his shaggy black hair out of those amber eyes. _He's so like his father...._

Katara blew out the candle. "Good night, sweetheart..."

---

_"I'm here for you, Katara. Come away with me!" His amber eyes were pleading and tender. He reached out to touch her cheek._

_She was holding back the tears now. "No... My place is here, with Aang. If he ever knew... And he needs me. But..." her voice broke. "I'll always love you..." Her voice was just a whisper now. "Zuko...."_

Katara stirred in her sleep and noticed her cheeks were wet. _Oh, Zuko... Why didn't I come with you..? _But wait... what was that noise?

Aang was still sound asleep on her other side. She heard it again. The rustle of paper. And it was definitely coming from outside their room.

She got up, taking care to move quietly so the Avatar wouldn't sense her absence. She walked the length of the hallway and as she was passing her son's room, she noticed light spilling from beneath the rice paper divider. She stepped inside.

"Shoshi?"

The boy was splayed out on his bed, reading intently. He looked up at the sound of his name, golden eyes clouded with guilt. "Um...."

Katara shook her head disapprovingly, but she was still smiling. "Didn't I tell you no more reading?"

"Sorry Haha... I'll stop..." He smiled apologetically, but she took the book anyway.

She wagged it in front of him. "You'll get this back in the morning."

Katara left, still smiling, but something didn't feel right. She stopped suddenly, cold dread flowing through her veins.

Hadn't she put out that candle?

**dun dun DUN... i know the second chapter was a bit of a drag, so i tried to make up for it with a nice long one. R&R people!**


	4. Masked

Shoshi understood now. His father hated him because he _wasn't _his father. Aang hated him because he, Shoshi, was everything he hated incarnate. He, Shoshi. Unwanted one.

He threw a punch and felt the heat at his fingertips. Shoshi loved his firebending. He was sure his real father was a bender too. It made him feel a part of the person he knew so little about.

Shoshi understood his mother too. She hadn't left because she was afraid. Afraid for him. To the Avatar, Katara could do no wrong. No, Katara, don't blame yourself- this or that was clearly Shoshi's fault.

He made a fierce chop, the blaze flowing in an arc after it, like the tail of a comet.

Sometimes he wished his father had banished him. Even wandering the streets like a peasant had to be better than being trapped here under that cold gray gaze...

He snapped out a roundhouse kick, feeling the flames fan out to meet the courtyard wall opposite him.

He had to get out of here.

--

_Shoshi ran, light on his feet, making the jump from rooftop to rooftop easily as he began the long journey to reach the palace wall. Yes, now he was at the last open stretch- he was leaping now, stretching out his lean body to its maximum. _

_He felt his fingers brush the top and latched on, hard. Hauling himself up, he stood for a moment, just breathing and looking out on the outside world, the world he had never seen. Then, as he prepared to make the-_

"Shoshi!"

The fierce whisper almost caused him to topple over the other side, but an equally fierce grip held him on the wall.

"Mother!"

"Here," she said softly. "Take it."

Shoshi took the object, wrapped in black, and uncovered it. "It can't be..." he breathed.

His mother was as silent as the item in his hands, and he knew he would get no further answer. "The mask of the Blue Spirit..."

He touched the blue and white patterning reverently. "You'll be needing a disguise for a while...." Her voice broke.

"Mother, thank you, I-"

"Take these too. They were your father's." From within a single black leather scabbard, Shoshi drew dual swords.

"Thank you..."

Suddenly Katara ran forward to embrace him, almost causing him to lose his balance again. At fifteen, he was a head taller than her now, but suddenly he felt like a five year old again. "I'll follow you soon... The first chance I get... I promise...." Katara's voice trailed off as she looked up at her son, who had truly grown into his father.

"Stay safe." He whispered. There was no more Shoshi to blame once he was gone, and Katara just _couldn't_ be hurt in his place...

Then he leapt, landing neatly on the other side. Dawn was coming, and he was braving a new world.

The bells on the tower were ringing now. The watch bells.

Shoshi ran.


	5. Suno

Shoshi was bent double, panting. He didn't know how long he'd run for, but it was enough. Enough to lose his pursuers and enough to cause him pain. _Just calm down... Breathe... Bend.... You're safe here. _He told himself.

_Breathe... _Shoshi inhaled deeply, taking in the his surroundings. For his first few hours in it, this new world was nothing but a blur, meant nothing but distance. But now, he studied it with interest. It was, after all, going to be his home.

The first thing that struck him was how _alive_ this place seemed. People moving in every direction, plants bursting forth in any available space. He, as a boy raised in a palace, understood the meaning of the word "busy" to be a few servants and ladies-in-waiting bustling about here and there. But this, this was different. These people all had different lives, different purposes; different pasts, different futures. Servants were all the same. Well, aside from-

A hand shot out, grabbing his wrists and tying them expertly behind his back as its twin reached out to cover his mouth. He was thrown to the ground and then rolled over so his neck was exposed, and before he could blink there was a dagger at his neck.

A Water Tribe dagger.

"Suno!"

--

She was grinning broadly at him now, from across the campfire. "A boy on the run's got to be on his guard, too, Shoshi."

The young Firebender was in a bad mood- caught by a girl. A servant girl! "I knew it was you! I _let_ you take me!" he insisted.

"Of _course_ you did, Shoshi." Suno agreed sweetly.

Yuki's thirteen year-old daughter brushed a strand of snow white hair out of her eyes. "So, where are we headed?"

"WE?"

"I'm not going to let you get captured by someone a little meaner than me, Sho."

"Why _did_ you capture me, anyway?"

She took a bite out of her apple and said casually, "Just making a point."

"Yeah, but wh-"

He was cut off by a sharp whistle from the girl on the other side of the dancing flames.

There was a rustle to his right and he whirled around, both blades out by the time the creature emerged.

"What is THAT?!"

--

"Her _name_ is Ji, and she's going to make our traveling a little bit faster." Suno informed him.

"Don't you think a stark white ostrich horse is going to draw some attention?"

"Oh lighten up, she'll outrun the best of those old scouts!" the girl responded, patting her mount affectionately.

"I don't like this..."

"You don't like _anything_!"

"It's kept me alive this long." Shoshi informed her dryly.

The girl huffed, giving up, but she looked up and noted that dawn was fast approaching. She leapt nimbly onto Ji's back and gestured impatiently at the boy below.

"Come on, get up! We're burning daylight!"

"Kind of hard to do, considering the sun hasn't come up yet."

"Oh get on, sourpuss!"

Reluctantly and a little unsteadily, he heaved himself onto the ostrich horse.

"Put your arms around my waist, I don't want you falling off!" Suno commanded, brushing some of her snowy locks back to see him better.

"Uh..."

"Just _do it_, Sho!" she sighed. "Spirits, boys are impossible!"

Still hesitant but not wanting to instill the wrath of the fierce thirteen year-old warrior, he held on. The sun was rising as Ji set off.

The journey had finally begun.

**and so has the oc shipping! ^_^ wasn't entirely sure what kind of girl would best suit our boy shoshi, so tell me what you think of her! thanks for reading! don't forget to R&R!**


	6. Destiny

**Sorry it's taken so long, first we had finals at school and then my family was traveling... But I'm back now, and I promise to update as much as possible! I've had a lot of requests about meeting Zuko, so I promise to make it quick! Next chapter we should be seeing the Fire Lord we all know and love! ^_^**

Whatever Sokka expected when he opened the door, it wasn't this.

"Well, who is it?" Toph asked impatiently.

"Hmmm... Looks like a mini Yue, a mini Zuko and an angry ostrich horse."

This was weird. Toph could tell her husband wasn't lying, but honestly, this wasn't exactly a likely story. "No, really."

A voice that would have sounded a lot like Zuko's if it were a little less anxious and a little more angry rang out. "I'm looking for Toph and Sokka. Do they... live here?"

A dark haired teenager approached and looked them over. "I'll put the ostrich horse in the stables."

"Uh... thank you, Daichi." He turned to the amber-eyed boy. "I'm Sokka. What do you need?"

"Well, I know that Lady Katara is your sister." Shoshi turned to Toph. "And _your_ friend. She's also my mother. But the Avatar isn't my dad. I wanted to find out who was, and... I figured you might be able to tell me that."

"So you must be... Shoshi, right?"

He nodded.

"He's Sparky's alright, no question." Toph said, coming to the door.

"...Sparky?"

"Zuko. Shoshi, your father is the _Fire_ _Lord_."

Sokka's words were met by a stunned silence, and then, when Suno at least had recovered herself enough to speak, "_What?!"_

--

"Yes, definitely. You'll be able to find him at the Summer Palace, which is located on Ember Island."

"We have NO idea where that is." Suno piped up helpfully.

Daichi appeared in the doorway again. "...I can show you."

Before Shoshi or Suno had time to respond, Sokka sprang up. "Introductions! Daichi, this is your cousin and his girlfriend (indignation from both runaways). Shoshi, Suno, this is Daichi, our eldest. He knows the land well- we've been living in the Fire Nation since he was about a year old- so he can get you there easily enough."

"...How bout it, Sho? Seems like a good idea to me..." Suno ventured.

"Definitely."

So, with one more person, one more ostrich horse and enough food for a few meals, Shoshi set off.

Towards the Summer Palace.

Towards the Fire Lord.

Towards his destiny.

**sorry about the cheesy end, but we were asking for it- i mean, this is zuko's son, right? next chapter will be up ASAP! R&R!**


	7. Fire Lord Zuko

"Fire Lord!" A messenger ran into the room and quickly knelt on the ground before a gesture from Zuko brought him up again. "There is a party of three children here to see you! They haven't got an appointment, and seem to have no credentials of consequen-"

"Send them in." Zuko spoke quietly.

"What?! But sir, they're just a couple of kids!" The messenger protested.

"If you recall, a couple of kids saved the world not too long ago." Zuko replied evenly. He was determined to be a fair Fire Lord, unlike the many before him who had ruined his nation.

With a resigned sigh the messenger went out again to lead the children to the Fire Lord's chambers.

--

"Well, that was easy," Suno whispered.

"Uh, who got you here? Who traveled with you for weeks, through hardships and-"

"Oh, that's right Daichi!" Shoshi piped up. "Thanks for kidnapping me, Suno."

"Wha?! Can't a guy get some credit around he-"

"The Fire Lord has accepted your request for an audience. You will now be escorted to his chambers. I have deemed it appropriate to give you a time limit- you will have five minutes to explain your cause and will, at the end of such a time, be escorted out. The Fire Lord is a very busy man and does not wish to be further disturbed by the petty wants of children. Follow me."

So the three followed him, hoping that Shoshi's father wasn't as severe as his messenger.

--

"Make yourselves comfortable then. I'm assuming this is going to take a while?" The Fire Lord greeted them without having turned around.

"We were told we only had five minutes." Suno was, as always, the first to regain her voice.

"Who told you _that_?"

"The messenger... sir."

"Agni knows what other stupid things he's told people. Forget about that. Now what is it you want?"

Zuko turned around now to see for the first time who he was speaking to, but all three were kneeling in front of him. When he tried to look them in the eye, the floor suddenly became increasingly interesting to the trio, and with a sigh he sat down.

"Fine then. Let's start with this. Who are you?" Zuko couldn't help praying they didn't share the long version that was so common in this place.

Shoshi chose the long one. "I am Shoshi, son of Lady Katara, the Lone Moon, Master Waterbender, trained under Master Pakku, now passed, daughter of Hakoda, daughter of Kya, now passed, sister to Sokka, aunt to Kya and Daichi, member of the Party Which Saved Our World From Destruction, sole Waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe at her birth, which was the reason behind her honorary title." He stopped, panting a little.

"You forgot the part about her being the wife of the Avatar." Zuko sounded almost bitter.

"Actually, she no longer is."

Zuko struggled to keep the shock and happiness from showing in his face. "Then I suppose you hadn't forgone the detail out of consideration. Thank you, at least, for sparing me your wonderful father's many credits."

"Fire Lord Zuko, that's why we've come. The Avatar _isn't_ my father." Shoshi looked up and locked his amber eyes with those of the man in front of him. "You are."

--

Zuko stood up and moved as if in a dream across the room to where Shoshi, to where _his_ _son_ now knelt. He signaled the three to get to their feet again. "...You are... who you say you are?"

He could only nod.

"And... can you..?" Zuko lit two fingers on fire.

He mirrored him.

"Shoshi..."

And hearing his father, his real father, say his name for the first time, Shoshi felt like, for the first time, he belonged.

--

"Time has expired. I will escort you out of the palace immediat-"

"Put a sock in it! Can't you see this is supposed to be one of those touching father-son moments?!" Suno scolded the sour messenger.

"May I ask, sir, why you are presently embracing one of these rather dirty ragamuffins?"

Zuko straightened up, smiling. "This boy will be our guest of honor."

"And... why, exactly, sir?" The messenger was beginning to think Zuko had completely lost it.

"Because my son... has come home."

--

The messenger lost no time in bowing down to the new prince and his father. "Sir, how can we adequately celebrate such an event?"

The Dragon of the West chose this moment to make his appearance. "Throw a party, of course!"

**(the AN below is going to be a long one, but i'd like you to hear me out because it's worth it)**

**The next chapter will, I think, be the last. But that's your decision. If you write a review for this chapter by August 1st, you can do one of a couple of things. **

**a) Tell me to continue and not wrap it up there **

**b) Tell me what YOU want to happen in the final chapter (ex. Katara comes to the Fire Nation, Aang dies in a fiery pit of lava, the Plot Chihuahua arrives on the scene and eats everyone, etc). Now, I already have a few things that I need to happen if I want to wrap this up properly (ex Shoshi finding out the other meaning of his name), but if I like your idea too, or if a lot of people have the same idea, then that's what'll happen. **

**c) Tell me you like what I've been doing so far and I should stop being lazy and make my own ending.**

**The reason I'm doing this (and you can stop reading now if you're not one for long notices) is because this is my first real original story. I've done oneshot collections and things, but this is my biggest project so far (what can I say, I'm a noob). I just wanted to give the people who've been nice enough to support my story this far what they're looking for at its end. So... thanks for everything. I'll see you again at the end of the month!**

**~z4e**


	8. Epilogue

_You are cordially invited to join Fire Lord Zuko in the celebration of an honored guest's arrival. _

Sokka read the invitation aloud so Toph could hear it as well. At the bottom of the formal message there was a messy scrawl he knew to be Zuko's handwriting.

_Yes, Sokka, there will be meat. Promise. _

He smiled. So Shoshi had found his dad after all. Sokka knew Zuko would want to be vague about it, if only for his honor's sake- or maybe his son's- but it was easy enough to read between the lines. The kid had gotten there.

"So, we going to a party then, Sokka?"

"Definitely."

--

The sound of the party inside was muted by the cool night air. The moon was full tonight, and she felt at home. Katara stood on the balcony, watching the stars, waiting and wondering if her son was alright, if Zuko still loved her...

"Katara, can I have a word?"

She whirled around to find her blue eyes locked with those stormy grey ones. But now they weren't angry. Sort of... sad. "What is it, Aang?" she would still be on her guard.

"Katara," he began, then swallowed hard and decided to get it over with. "I understand that you don't love me. I know you've never thought of me that way... I just thought, if we tried, we could make it work, and... I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I've made these last fifteen years so miserable for you. I... I understand if you can't forgive me, but I just wanted you to know... And even though I wasn't strong enough to let you go before, I just want you to be happy now. So... if you can't accept me a as a lover, will you let me be your friend?" He gave her a hesitant half-smile in that shy way of his, the way he used to look at her that reminded her of their adventures as a team, fifteen years ago. The way he looked at her when she loved him.

"Aang, you never stopped being my friend in the first place." She smiled back and risked a hug. He hung on just a fraction of a second too long before he broke away and headed back towards the music and laughter inside.

"Thank you, Katara. This means... a lot to me."

"Me too, Aang," she whispered when he had gone. "Me too..."

--

"Oh great. Dad's telling bad jokes about meat again." Daichi sighed as he sat down with Suno and Shoshi at the edge of the festivities. "I'm just going to crawl under a rock now. Tell me when it's over."

"Come on, Daichi! Everyone's having fun! Just look at General Iroh!"

"Don't remind me," Shoshi laughed, and the others laughed with him.

"Well, I guess that's that. We've journeyed from the remote and impenetrable palace of the Avatar all the way to the Fire Lord's chambers. And now his uncle is drunk on tea. Happy endings really do happen." Daichi grinned.

"Well..." Suno started hesitantly. "There is one thing that hasn't 'happily ended' just yet..."

"What's that?" Daichi grabbed an unidentifiable meat of some kind and chewed absently.

"Umm... main love interest?" Suno suggested, blushing furiously.

"No, that's not right. Zuko and Katara are back together now, or at least they're in the same room as each other at the moment, so I think it's safe to assume- whoa! Hey! Suno and Sho kissing! Whoa! Does anybody else see this?!"

They broke apart, grinning broadly, and Suno punched Daichi good-naturedly. "Don't know what you're talking about, boulder boy."

Shoshi's eyes followed his father across the room. Zuko had come from the courtyard where Katara had just been. "Hey, guys, there's something I have to-"

"Oh, talk to him already! We're still waiting for the overemotional father-son talk, Sho!" Suno laughed.

"Okay, okay, going!" he grinned back, and followed his father out the door.

--

Katara stood alone again, mulling over what had just happened. What _had_ just happened, exactly? She couldn't take it in all at once. She was so happy, she felt so free...

_"Are you cold?"_

_She whirled around to face him. She knew that voice, those eyes, those beautiful amber eyes... "Zuko!" _

_"Katara..." Hearing her name on his lips was too much. _

_In that moment, fifteen years of fake smiles and stiff upper-lips melted away in one sweet kiss. _

_"Zuko, there's so much I need to tell you, it's-"_

_"Shh..." He put a finger to her lips. "I want to do this the right way."_

_"You want to do-"_

_"Don't talk!" He commanded. She fell silent and his look softened. _

_"Katara of the Water Tribe," he began, kneeling down. "Will you marry me?" He held out an ice blue betrothal necklace, the design a flaming heart marked with the waves of the Water Tribe symbol. _

_She remained silent, looking as though she was about to cry but still managing a strangely smug expression._

_"...Katara?"_

_'You _told_ me not to talk!" She laughed, and he stood up, smiling, to take her hand._

_"Just like you to ruin the moment," he complained mock-sulkily. "And you _still_ haven't answered my question!"_

_"Of course I'll marry you, you stupid buffalo yak!"_

_Despite her nonchalance, Katara was still reeling with shock and delight when she put on the necklace and shared another kiss with her fiance. _

She only needed one more thing for this night to be complete. Katara had to see her son.

--

Shoshi had a strange feeling as he followed his father out into the courtyard. Something was different. It was a big something, and he had no idea what.

"Something on your mind, Shoshi?" Zuko spoke without turning around.

"Well... yeah, actually."

"Speak up." Zuko smiled at him. He seemed to be in a great mood tonight.

"Well... I was just wondering about... well," he started again. "My mom and... you... never got married, even though you loved each other and everything. She went with Aang. I just... I mean, do you want to be with each other? Do you... want to be with me?" It was a hard conversation to start, especially with his name ringing in his ears.

_Shoshi... Unwanted one..._

"Shoshi..." Zuko began, which wasn't a great start. "I traveled with... your mother for a long time before we fell in love. To begin with, we hated each other. And when our adventures ended, she was in love with Aang. I never thought I could love Katara the way I do now. But Aang was always at war meetings, putting down rebellions, traveling the world and making peace as best he could. He never took Katara along. They grew apart. Then the one I loved at the time... Mai..." He looked sad for a moment, then shook himself and continued. "She... passed away. I felt lost and confused, and Katara comforted me. We had both been left without the one we cared about most. Over time, we fell in love. I was going to propose to her, but I felt guilty. Guilty about loving someone else so soon after Mai had left me... While I was sorting out my feelings, the Avatar asked Katara for her hand."

Shoshi looked down. That wasn't fair. Aang had never been there for Katara, and suddenly she was the love of his life again?

"Why would she say yes to him? How could she let him be her husband when he was so horrible to her?"

"Your mother is a kind person, Shoshi. She's told me a million times... 'I will never turn my back on people who need me.' Aang needed her. And she couldn't turn away."

"Umm... Dad." Shoshi started. He still felt off addressing the Fire Lord that way, but he was growing used to it. Zuko looked up expectantly. "There's... something else."

"Yes?"

"My name. I was so upset when I found out what it meant. So angry. But one of the servants, Yuki, told me it had another meaning. The one my mom meant for me. Do you... know it?"

"Shoshi, your name can mean unwanted one. You know that. But it can also mean _original intention_. You're exactly what your mother- and me- wanted all along."

--

Katara found Zuko and her son together, fire roaring from their fists, their feet, even their mouths. Shoshi had always connected himself with his father through firebending. Now they could do it side by side.

"Shoshi!" He stopped bending, and she ran forward to hug him. "I've been so worried about you..." she whispered, tears welling.

"Mom, I understand. I know my name. And I know you wanted me..." He trailed off- that was all he could manage for now.

Katara wiped away her tears and smiled at her son. "We're going to be a real family now, Shoshi. We're going to make up for everything that's happened to you. Zuko and I are getting married, and-"

"You're WHAT?!"

Zuko laughed. "I intend to have you as my heir before your sixteenth birthday, Shoshi. And there are some political issues to attend to..."

"Yuki and Suno will come with us, but only those two. I know you and Suno are good friends..."

"RIIIIIGHT... friends... yeaaah...."

"Shoshi! You did not!"

"Let him live a little, Katara. He's a teenager who's never been outside the Avatar's little mountain fortress until a month ago."

"I like dad's reasoning better in this situation."

"I think we'll get along just fine." Zuko grinned back at him.

Katara couldn't help hugging her son a second time. "I missed you so much, Shoshi..."

"Can't... breathe... ack...." He struggled in reply.

Katara, with the air of a true mother, ignored him. "Get over here, Zuko. Being part of the family means being part of group hugs."

Zuko joined them. And he only grumbled a little bit this time.

There, between his parents, with a new life ahead of him, he understood the strange feeling he'd had since the night's start.

Shoshi was home.

**and there it is, everybody! sorry about the cheesy ending, but daichi had it right. happy endings DO happen every once in a while. i tried to incorporate everyone's suggestions in the chappie, sorry it was so long but i had a lot to tie up! thanks so much to everyone who's supported the story! i love you all!**

**please don't forget to R&R (for the last time... *sniffle*)! if you think i can squeeze a sequel out of this, please tell me! i don't have much left to work with until i can think up some new ideas, but i'm not sure if i'm tough enough to let sho go so soon...**


End file.
